Marking device for watchmen&#39;s clocks.



PATENTED FEB. 11, 1908.

A. A. NEWMAN. MARKING DEVICE FOR WATOHMENS CLOCKS.

I APPLIUATION FILED DEC. 4, 1906.

my 3 flW III llllllllm ABRAHAM A. NEWMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MARKING DEVICE FOR WATCHMENS CLOCKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1908.

Application filed December 4.1906. Serial No. 3%.278.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM A. NEWMAN, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Marking Devices for Watchmens Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in portable watchmens clocks, and is fully described and explained in this specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved device, with a portion of the case broken away to show the interior construction; Fig. 2 is a front elevation similarly broken away, and Fig. 3 is a view from beneath, certain of the parts being shown in the section indicated by the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the keys used with my device.

It will be understood that, my improved clock is of the type which is carried about from place to place by the watchmen, the clock carrying a suitable movement adapted to rotate a paper dial. In the use of the clock, the watchman inserts into it a series of keys producing suitable markings upon the dial, the keys being stationarily mounted at various points on the watchmans beat, each one being provided with a suitable marking device.

The object 'of my present invention is to provide a simple and durable construction for a clock of this type, in which, without -unduly increasing the size of the clock, I am enabled to use a much larger number of keys than has heretofore been possible, thus making it possible to record the watchmans presence at a larger number of controlled stations with a clock of any given size.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the paper dial which is to be mounted upon and carried by a suitable spindle carried by a clock movement contained within the case.

cylinder, it is possible to secure a large number of characters in a comparatively small space. The cylinder B may be journaled in any desired way, the form illustrated in the drawings being thoroughly practicable. In this form the cylinder is mounted upon a central shaft 1), one end of which is rotatively mounted in a perforation or socket in the clock case, and the other end of which is rotatively mounted in a bracket supported by a transversely extending plate O in the clock case.

Secured to one end of the cylinder B is a cam plate D, having cam slots d (Z This cam plate extends through a slot in the plate. G into the space which the key enters. E indicates one of the keys which I use with my improved clock. These keys may be of any ordinary form and are provided on their flanges with marking characters, preferably male characters, adapted to enter the corresponding female characters on the cylinder B. The keys are passed through an opening in the side wall of the clock and received by a suitable key guide of any ordinary form, and when pushed home completely may be rotated to bring their flanges against the lower face of the paper dial. Certain of the keys are provided with plain bits, and when such keys are used they will swing up against the dial and their characters will enter the central series of characters on the cylinder, thus producing suitable markings. The remaining keys are provided with pins 6 which are so positioned on the keys as to engage with one or the other of the cam slots (1 d as illustrated in the drawings. When such a key is rotated so as to produce a marking, the pin engages the cam slot for which it is adapted and rotates the cylinder so as to bring one of the outer lines of characters in position to register with the character on the key. Thus by the simple expedient of having three sets of keys, one without pins and two others with pins, in very slightly differing positions, I am enabled to use three series of characters which can be positioned in a very small area.

In order to insure the proper alinement of the cylinder with the keys, I provide cam plate D with a flat surface d against which bears a spring F which tends to hold the cylinder in its central position at all times. Thus there is no possibility of the cylinder moving too far under the influence of a key, or of the cylinder being incorrectly positioned When a key Without an engaging pin is inserted.

I realize that considerable variation is possible in the details of the construction herein illustrated, and I therefore do not intend to limit myself to the specific form shown herein and described, except as pointed out in the following claims That I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. The combination with a rotatable device, having di'llerent series of characters, ot

a key provided with an engagement device and adapted to be turned to rotate said. rotatable device to bring the proper series of characters into operative position.

2. The combination with rotatable device having ditl'erent series of characters, of a key carrying a character adapted to cooperate With one of the characters on said rotatable device, and carrying also an engagement member and adapted to be turned to operate with said rotatable device to bring the proper character on said rotatable device into registration with the character on the key.

3. The combination with a cylinder having three series of characters, of a key carrying a character adapted to cooperate with a character on the cylinder, and mutually engaging devices on the key and cylinder adapted to rotate the cylinder in the turning of the key to bring the proper characters into registration.

mechanism on a key when said key is turnedto cause rotation of the cylinder to produce the proper engagement between the key and cylinder.

5. The combination with a cylinder having different series of characters, of a cam,

plate having slots carried by the cylinder, said slots being adapted to receive pins mounted upon suitable keys to produce proper registration between the characters on the key and cylinder as said key is turned.

6. The combination with a cylinder having different series of characters and a spring adapted to hold the same normally in one position, of a key having an engagement device adapted to rotate the cylinder to bring its characters in proper position as the key is turned. I

7. Recording mechanism for a watchmans clock comprising a device having a plurality of groups of marking characters thereon, and means carrying a device adapted to cause said first mentioned device to rotate to bring one of the groups of marking characters only into position to print in connection with said second device.

ABRAHAM A. NEW'MAN. In presence of P. C. DYRENFORTH, C. W'. ASHBURN. 

